An Airbnb guest refused to vacate her rented $3.8 million California mansion after spending more than 540 days in the home – and now she’s asking for $100,000 to leave.
Sascha Jovanovic rented out the guesthouse of his Brentwood mansion on Airbnb in September 2021 to Elizabeth Hirschhorn, who has long overstayed her welcome.
The dispute has become the center of an ongoing lawsuit as Jovanovic looks to remove the squatter. However, a Los Angeles judge has said he has no right to remove the tenant.
Jovanovic, a renowned dentist, rented his guesthouse without it being registered, and it has no certificate of occupancy.
In addition, he had a shower built without a permit, meaning it’s not a legal rental and Hirschhorn should not have been charged rent from the beginning, according to the lawsuit.
A new California law prevents landlords from evicting tenants without legal reason, and since Jovanovic’s property is an unregistered rental, the legality of it all remains unclear.
The dentist told the Los Angeles Times: “I can never go into my home and know that I’m safe when a potentially hostile person is living there. I’m thinking about it at all times.”
Hirschhorn’s lawyers have criticized Jovanovic and his claims.
One of her lawyers told the LA Times: “The landlord broke the law and tried to make money by renting out an illegal bootleg unit.
“After he was caught, instead of doing the right thing, he has resorted to bullying, harassment and the filing of frivolous lawsuits containing elaborate false stories, all in an attempt to cover his tracks.”
The luxury mansion is on a .33 acre lot, with 2,954 square feet of property, along with panoramic views of LA and a pool.
Jovanovic bought the home in 1995 for $750,000 and has lived there ever since. In 2009, he had the main house rebuilt with the addition of a guesthouse, which contains a kitchenette, bathroom, bedroom, and floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that open up to ocean views.
The renowned dentist initially used the guesthouse as a playroom for his two children, but decided to list it on Airbnb for short-term guests in 2019.
The guesthouse was listed on the website as a ‘Modern Studio with stunning 360 ocean/city views,’ priced at $215 per night.
According to court documents, Jovanovic approved a six-month stay for Hirschhorn from September 13, 2021 to March 19, 2022 for a total of $19,833. She extended her stay by an additional 24 days with an end date of April 12.
Things became heated when Jovanovic noticed mold and water damage around the sink in the guesthouse, which he claimed were not there before her stay.
Jovanovic offered her a stay in a hotel or in his own home, but she declined due to medical sensitivities.
Hirschhorn never moved out of the guesthouse after the April 12 date, and Jovanovic filed a lawsuit against her in 2023 on claims of breach of lease, damages, negligence, and trespassing.
Now, Hirschhorn is counter-suing her host, who she claimed ‘inappropriately invited’ her to move into his house with him, according to the LA Times.
A judge has ruled that Jovanovic has no legal reason to evict Hirschhorn under the city’s rent stabilization ordinance.
The two are now living just steps away from each other as neighbors and enemies.
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